Venture Capital

An investment thesis for Latner Software, the next generation of equipment rental software. — Contents ∘ Overview ∘ Problem and Opportunity ∘ Market ∘ Team ∘ Competition ∘ Challenges ∘ Building Conviction Overview My recent investment in Latner Software reflects a common theme in recent years of the digitisation of traditional, unsexy industries. Latner is building the first cloud-based SaaS solution for the equipment rental industry…

A simple, foundational mantra for building a successful startup is this assessment: what’s your customers’ willingness to buy your product? There are several factors that go into this assessment but understanding that one burning need and solving for it is a great starting point. We think there is an inherent…

EX in the new fund’s name stands for energy transformation, signaling the focus for Fund EX1 on investing in early-stage energy, cleantech, and climate technology startups in the U.S. and Europe Fund EX1 is TDK Ventures’ first multi-LP fund and marks its first foray into Europe TDK Corporation announced that…

By: Erica Brescia and Jacob Effron The Ink: Jason Warner incubates new AI company, Poolside, at Redpoint Increasing output to date: Software has already revolutionized the way we communicate, collaborate, transact, discover and learn. And while very early innings, AI has recently improved the way we create software. Large language…

Since participating in the JPY 1.5bn raise of TRUSTDOCK, which we covered in last week’s Japan FinTech Observer, the team at the Sony Innovation Fund has been busy deploying further capital. We have counted four more investments. …

Ever wondered what the near-end of the road looks like? — This is an experience I never had after working for 14 years. Yes, never. Never once was I told, in advance, that the company is folding in X months. My experience with sub-optimal corporate performance has been conventional. I was told to take no-pay leave. I absorbed drastic pay cuts. …

In the competitive landscape of entrepreneurship, securing funding is often a critical step in turning a visionary idea into a successful reality. While there are various avenues for funding, angel investment has emerged as a popular choice for many entrepreneurs. Angel investors, often experienced business professionals or high-net-worth individuals, provide…

DG Daiwa Ventures (DGDV) announced its investment in three Generative AI startups out of the recently held Y Combinator (YC) W23 batch demo day that provide innovative solutions for programming, LLM utilization in companies, and 3D content production. With less than two percent of YC applicants actually making it to…

Spotify’s VP of Personalization believes there is one underrated trait that all founders need for success. — Lightspeed recently hosted the first ever Generative NYC meetup for an audience of operators and investors in the generative AI ecosystem. The featured speaker was Ziad Sultan, VP of Personalization at Spotify, interviewed by Lightspeed Partner Michael Mignano. Ziad and his team are directly responsible for the algorithmic features that…